Therapeutic Mattress

ABSTRACT

A mattress ( 2 ) which in plan view comprises an inner portion ( 4 ) and an outer portion ( 6 ), and the mattress ( 2 ) being such that the inner portion ( 4 ) is of a size for being slept on by at least one person, the outer portion ( 6 ) extends at least partially around the inner portion ( 4 ), and the inner portion ( 4 ) has a lower compression rate than the outer portion ( 6 ) whereby the weight of the person on the inner portion ( 4 ) is distributed over a greater area than would be the case if the inner portion ( 4 ) had the same compression rate as the outer portion ( 6 ), and whereby the outer portion ( 6 ) constrains the inner portion ( 4 ) and controls lateral expansion of the inner portion caused by the weight of the person on the inner portion ( 4 ).

This invention relates to a mattress.

It is well known that mattresses are manufactured with varying degreesof hardness. Generally, the mattresses are mainly manufactured to besoft, medium or hard. Typically, persons with back problems prefer hardmattresses.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide an improved mattress.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present inventionthere is provided a mattress which in plan view comprises an innerportion and an outer portion, and the mattress being such that the innerportion is of a size for being slept on by at least one person, theouter portion extends at least partially around the inner portion, andthe inner portion has a lower compression rate than the outer portionwhereby the weight of the person on the inner portion is distributedover a greater area than would be the case if the inner portion had thesame compression rate as the outer portion, and whereby the outerportion constrains the inner portion and controls lateral deformation ofthe inner portion caused by the weight of the person on the innerportion.

The mattress of the present invention may still be manufactured to besoft, medium or hard. However, in addition, with the mattress of thepresent invention, and within the chosen range of hard, medium or soft,the mattress has the facility of being able to distribute the weight ofthe person on the inner portion over a greater area than would be thecase if the inner portion had the same compression rate as the outerportion. Advantageously, this extra facility has the effect ofdecreasing pressure on body areas where undue pressure can interferewith the normal flow of blood, nerve signals and responses. As well asaiding the functions of the nervous system of a person, the mattress ofthe present invention by virtue of the inner portion is able to reducepressure on the person's vascular system, and in particular is able toaid the venous return. This is in contrast to normal beds which do notreduce pressure on the vascular system and therefore which do not aidthe venous return. With the mattress of the present invention, theeffects of increased nerve supply and decreased pressure on the venousreturn enable the person to lie more comfortably, to have a drasticallyreduced possibility of pressure induced circulatory and nerve supplyproblems, and also to have a better sleep on the mattress than wouldotherwise be the case. The mattress of the present invention not onlyallows for correct postural sculpting of the person's body whilst lyingon the mattress, but the mattress also enhances the operation of theperson's bodily system so that it is able to operate with minimalrestriction by lowering the pressure. Thus the mattress gives bothcomfort and increased health while in normal sleeping positions.

The mattress may be one in which the inner portion is in the shape of asleeping person.

The shape may be the shape of a sleeping person in one sleepingposition. Thus the shape may be the shape of a person lying on theirback or their front.

Alternatively, the shape may be the shape of a sleeping person in morethan one sleeping position. Thus, for example, this shape may bedesigned to cater for person sleeping on their back or their front andalso curled up on one side.

The mattress may be one in which the outer portion extends all aroundthe inner portion except for a foot part of the inner portion.Alternatively, the outer portion may extend completely around the innerportion. Alternatively, the outer portion may extend completely aroundthe inner portion except for designated a part or parts which may or maynot include the foot part.

In a first embodiment of the invention, the mattress may be one in whichthe inner portion is made of a material which is a foam material or agel, in which the outer portion is made of a material which is a foammaterial or a gel, and in which the material of the inner portion issofter than the material of the outer portion whereby the inner portionhas the lower compression rate than the outer portion. Other materialsmay be employed if desired. The gel may be a silicone gel. The gel maybe a heat sensitive gel. The inner and outer portions may be such thatthey are both made of the foam material, or are both made of the gel, orone portion is made of the foam material and the other portion is madeof the gel.

In a second embodiment of the invention, the mattress may be one inwhich the inner portion is provided with at least one aperture whichcauses the inner portion to have the lower compression rate than theouter portion.

In the second embodiment of the invention, there may be a plurality ofthe apertures, the apertures being positioned over the inner portion inorder to cause the inner portion to have the lower compression rate thanthe outer portion. Alternatively, there may be only one of theapertures, the aperture being of a sufficient size to cause the innerportion to have the lower compression rate than the outer portion.

In the second embodiment of the invention, the inner portion may be madeof a material which is a foam material or a gel, and the outer portionmay be made of a material which is a foam material or a gel. Othermaterials may be employed if desired. The gel may be a silicone gel. Thegel may be a heat sensitive gel. The inner and outer portions may besuch that they are both made of the foam material, or are both made ofthe gel, or one portion is made of the foam material and the otherportion is made of the gel.

In a third embodiment of the invention, the mattress may be one in whichat least one of the inner and outer portions has at least one chamberwhich contains a fluid and which causes the inner portion to have thelower compression rate than the outer portion.

The fluid may be a gas. The gas is preferably air, but other gases maybe employed if desired. Alternatively, the fluid may be a liquid. Theliquid is preferably water but other liquids such for example as an oilmay be employed. Alternatively, the fluid may be a mixture of liquidsand gases. Alternatively, the fluid may be a gel. The gel may be asilicone gel. The gel may be a heat sensitive gel.

Where the inner and/or the outer portions have the chamber or chamberscontaining the fluid, then the fluid may be contained in a container,for example in the form of a fluid-tight bag. The fluid-tight bag may beproduced in a sealed manner similar to that in which water beds arecurrently produced.

In all embodiments of the invention, the mattress may include a topcovering layer, the top covering layer being such that it extends overthe inner and outer portions. The effect of the top covering later maybe to even out differences to the person's body at transition pointsbetween the inner and outer portions. The top covering layer may be madeof a foam material. Other materials may be employed, for example gels asmentioned above.

The mattress of the present invention may be made of a wide variety ofmaterials including foam materials, gels and various heat sensitivematerials. Other materials such for example as rubber and thosematerials known as smart fabrics may be employed.

The mattress may be a single mattress in which case the inner portionwill usually be for one person. Alternatively, the mattress may be adouble mattress. With a double mattress, the inner portion will usuallybe for two persons. When there is an inner portion for two persons, thenthe inner portion may be formed by one area which for the two persons,or the inner portion may be formed by two areas which are one of eachperson. When the inner portion has the two areas, then the two areas maybe separated by a part which is formed by a reduced thickness of theinner portion and/or by a part which has a higher compression rate thanthe compression rate of the two areas.

In all embodiments of the present invention, the mattress will usuallybe one in which the inner portion is all in one piece. If desiredhowever the inner portion may be in a plurality of pieces.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way ofexample and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first mattress of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second mattress of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section through a third mattress of theinvention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section through a body part of the mattress shown inFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a section through part of another mattress of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the part of the mattress shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a section through part of another mattress of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a section through part of another mattress of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a section through another mattress of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another mattress of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a top view of the mattress shown in FIG. 10 and with a personshown lying on the mattress; and

FIG. 12 is a top view of another mattress of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a mattress 2 which in plan viewcomprises an inner portion 4 and an outer portion 6. The mattress 2 issuch that the inner portion 4 is of a size for being slept on by aperson. The outer portion 6 extends partially around the inner portion4. The mattress 2 is such that the inner portion 4 has a lowercompression rate than the outer portion 6, whereby the weight of theperson on the inner portion 4 is distributed over a greater area thanwould be the case if the inner portion 4 had the same compression rateas the outer portion 6, and whereby the outer portion 6 constrains theinner portion 4 and controls lateral deformation of the inner portion 4caused by the weight of the person on the inner portion 4.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the inner portion 4 is in the shape of aperson sleeping on their back. More specifically, the shape is the shapeof the person sleeping in one sleeping position, that is on their backor their front. In an alternative embodiment of the invention (notshown) the shape of the sleeping person could be of the person sleepingin more than one position, for example on their back or their front andalso curled up on one side. Such a shape would be bigger than the shapeshown in FIG. 1 and the shape would take into account that the personmight wish to sleep on their left side or their right side.

As can also be seen from FIG. 1, the outer portion 6 extends all aroundthe inner portion 4 except for a foot part 10 of the inner portion 4.

The mattress 2 may be made of any of the above mentioned materials.Thus, for example, the inner and outer portions 4, 6, may be made of afoam material, with the foam material of the inner portion 4 beingsofter than the foam material of the outer portion 6 whereby the innerportion 4 will have the lower compression rate than the outer portion 6.

The mattress 2 is a single mattress with the inner and outer portionsdefining the shape for one person. FIG. 2 shows a mattress 12 having aninner portion 14 and an outer portion 16. The mattress 12 is a doublemattress and the inner portion 14 is in a shape for occupation by twopersons rather than a single person. It will be noted that the outerportion 16 extends around the inner portion 4 except for two feet parts18, 20.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section through the mattress 2 but it mayequally well be a longitudinal section through the mattress 4. As shownin FIG. 3, the inner portion 4 is all in one piece and it comprises abody part 22 and a head part 24. The body part 22 and the head part 24are separated by a neck part 26. The neck part 26 is shallower in depththan the depth of the body part 22 and the head part 24.

FIG. 4 is a cross section through the mattress 2 but it could equallywell be a cross section through the mattress 12. As can be seen fromFIG. 4, the inner portion 4 is in the form of an insert in the outerportion 6. FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate how the inner portion 4 has slopingsides 28 and a sloping end 30.

FIGS. 5 and 6 shows how the mattress 32 may be provided with a pluralityof apertures in the form of blind bores 34. The bores 34 vary in depthas shown. The bores 34 may be wholly in the inner portion of themattress 32 or they may be in both the inner portion and the outerportion of the mattress 32. In this latter case, the bores willgenerally be deeper in the inner portion of the mattress in order tocause the inner portion of the mattress to have the lower compressionrate than the outer portion. In an alternative embodiment of theinvention (not shown) blind bores of the same depth may be employed, butwith the bores only being in the inner portion, or alternatively withthe bores being in the inner portion and the outer portion but then withthere being more bores in the inner portion than the outer portion inorder to cause the inner portion to have the lower compression rate thanthe outer portion.

FIG. 7 shows a mattress 36 having an inner portion 38 and an outerportion 40. The inner portion 38 has the lower spring rate by being suchthat it is in the form of a container containing a fluid. The fluid maybe a gas, a liquid, or a mixture of a liquid and a gas.

FIG. 8 shows a mattress 42 having an inner portion 44 which has a lowercompression rate than an outer portion 46. The mattress includes a topcovering layer 48. The top covering layer 48 extends as shown over theinner and outer portions 44, 46. The top covering layer 48 acts to evenout pressure transition points between the inner and outer portions 44,46 and that might otherwise be too noticeable for a person lying on themattress 42. The top covering layer 48 may be made of a foam material orany other suitable and appropriate material.

FIG. 9 is a section through a double mattress 50. The mattress 50 has aninner portion 52 and an outer portion 54. The inner portion 52 has twoareas 56, 58 which are one for each of two persons that would normallyuse the double mattress 50. The two areas 56, 58 are separated by a part60 which is formed by a reduced thickness of the inner portion 52. Theouter portion 54 has a central part 62 which is of increased thickness,which helps to separate the two areas 56, 58, and which has a highercompression rate than the compression rate of the two areas 56, 58.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a single mattress 64 having an innerportion 66 and an outer portion 68. The outer portion 68 extends asshown around the inner portion 66. The inner portion 66 has a lowercompression rate than the outer portion 68. The lower compression ratefor the inner portion 66 is achieved by forming the inner portion 66with a plurality of apertures 70 as shown.

FIG. 11 shows a person 72 lying on the mattress 64. It will be seen thatthe person 72 is able to lie on their front or their back and be withinthe area provided by the inner portion 66.

FIG. 12 shows a mattress 74 having an inner portion 76 and an outerportion 78. The inner portion 76 is of a lower compression rate than theouter portion 78. The difference in the compression rates between theinner and outer portions 76, 78 may be achieved in any of the abovementioned ways. It will be seen that the shape of the inner portion 76in the mattress 76 is different to the shape of the inner portion 66 inthe mattress 64.

Generally, the mattresses shown in the drawings can be made of anysuitable and appropriate materials including foam materials, gels andheat sensitive materials. Where fluids are employed for the inner and/orthe outer portion, then the fluids will normally be contained withappropriate non-permeable materials such for example as non-permeableplastics materials.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention describedabove with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by wayof example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, forexample, the illustrated shapes of the inner portions may vary and theymay be of simple rectangular shapes. For simplicity of illustration, themattresses shown in the drawings have not been shown with a top coveringlayer. The mattresses may include a top covering layer and the topcovering layer may be such that it extends over the inner and outerportions. The top covering layer may be made of any suitable andappropriate material. The entire mattress may be covered with anappropriate fabric material as may be desired.

1. A mattress which in plan view comprises an inner portion and an outerportion, and the mattress being such that the inner portion is of a sizefor being slept on by at least one person, the outer portion extends atleast partially around the inner portion, and the inner portion has alower compression rate than the outer portion whereby the weight of theperson on the inner portion is distributed over a greater area thanwould be the case if the inner portion had the same compression rate asthe outer portion, and whereby the outer portion constrains the innerportion and controls lateral deformation of the inner portion caused bythe weight of the person on the inner portion.
 2. A mattress accordingto claim 1 in which the inner portion is in the shape of a sleepingperson.
 3. A mattress according to claim 2 in which the shape is theshape of a sleeping person in one sleeping position.
 4. A mattressaccording to claim 2 in which the shape is the shape of a sleepingperson in more than one sleeping position.
 5. A mattress according toclaim 1 in which the outer portion extends all around the inner portionexcept for a foot part of the inner portion.
 6. A mattress according toclaim 1 in which the inner portion is made of a material which is foammaterial or a gel, in which the outer portion is made of a materialwhich is a foam material or gel, and in which the material of the innerportion is softer than the material of the outer portion whereby theinner portion has the lower compression rate than the outer portion. 7.A mattress according to claim 1 in which the inner portion is providedwith at least one aperture which causes the inner portion to have alower compression rate than the outer portion.
 8. A mattress accordingto claim 7 in which there is a plurality of the apertures, the aperturesbeing positioned over the inner portion in order to cause the innerportion to have the lower spring rate than the outer portion.
 9. Amattress according to claim 7 in which there is only one of theapertures, the aperture being of a sufficient size to cause the innerportion to have the lower spring rate than the outer portion.
 10. Amattress according to claim 1 in which the inner portion is made of amaterial which is a foam material or a gel, and in which the outerportion is made of a material which is a foam material or a gel.
 11. Amattress according to claim 1 in which at least one of the inner andouter portions has at least one chamber which contains a fluid and whichcauses the inner portion to have the lower compression rate than theouter portion.
 12. A mattress according to claim 11 in which the fluidis a gas.
 13. A mattress according to claim 12 in which the gas is air.14. A mattress according to claim 11 in which the fluid is a liquid. 15.A mattress according to claim 14 in which the liquid is water.
 16. Amattress according to claim 1 in which the fluid is contained in acontainer.
 17. A mattress according to claim 16 in which the containeris a fluid-tight bag.
 18. A mattress according to claim 1 and includinga top covering layer, the top covering layer being such that it extendsover the inner and outer portions.
 19. A mattress according to claim 18in which the top covering layer is made of a foam material.
 20. Amattress according to claim 1 in which the inner portion is all in onepiece.